]]>As expected, Amazon unveiled their long-awaited streaming device today in an event in New York. Contrary to the rumors, however, the device isn't a dongle like Google's Chromecast. Instead, it's a super-thin (0.7 inches) set-top box that the company is calling the Fire TV.

It'll run you $99 and you can order it right now. In terms of price, Amazon Fire TV matches Apple TV and the Roku 3, and is significantly more expensive than a Chromecast.

But in terms of specs, Amazon has built a more powerful device. It sports a quad-core processor which Amazon says has three times the processing power of its competitors, as well as 2GB of memory–which is four times the memory of the Apple TV, Roku 3, or Chromecast.

As expected, Fire TV comes stocked full of third party apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Watch ESPN, Pandora, Showtime Anytime, and many more, alongside the company's own Amazon Prime Instant Video. It plugs directly into your TV and supports full 1080p and HDMI audio. This falls in line with most of its streaming box competitors.

Where Amazon tries to differentiate its new device from its competitors' is not in the price or the video streaming basics, but in flourishes to the experience. The company has added voice search to the set-top box's remote, and in a jab at other streaming devices, Jeff Bezos says that it is "voice search that actually works."

"Gone are the days of searching for a movie or TV show by left-left-down-right-ing through an on-screen alphabet grid using your remote. Simply speak the name of a movie, TV show, actor, director, genre, app, or game into the remote, and the results will appear instantly. Voice search leverages the search data and expertise of Amazon.com and IMDb, and is optimized to understand Amazon’s...catalog."

Amazon Fire TV also boasts a new "ASAP" mode, which stands for "Advanced Streaming and Prediction."

"You shouldn’t have to wait 10 seconds for a video to buffer after you press “Play”—it should start immediately. Based on your Watchlist and recommendations, the new ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) feature predicts which movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and prepares them for playback before you even hit play. This feature is smart—it is personalized based on your viewing habits and adapts as those habits change. The caching predictions get better over time, so ASAP will continuously improve as you use Fire TV," says Amazon.

There's a bunch of other little things that Fire TV offers, and if you're interested, the company's lengthy release on the new device is worth a read.

“Tiny box, huge specs, tons of content, incredible price—people are going to love Fire TV,” said Bezos. “Voice search that actually works means no more typing on an alphabet grid. Our exclusive new ASAP feature predicts the shows you’ll want to watch and gets them ready to stream instantly. And our open approach gives you not just Amazon Instant Video and Prime Instant Video, but also Netflix, Hulu Plus, and more. On Fire TV you can watch Alpha House and House of Cards.”

Last but definitely not least, Amazon is pushing Fire TV's gaming component. As was leaked a few weeks ago, Amazon Fire TV has its own game controller available for purchase to compliment games from EA, Disney, Gameloft, Ubisoft, Telltale, Mojang, 2K, and Sega. A few titles include Minecraft, The Walking Dead, NBA2K14, and an Amazon Game Studios exclusive title called Sev Zero.

Bezos says that there are currently about 100 titles available, but "thousands more are coming soon."

There's no denying that Amazon has created an alluring products here, and the addition of the gaming elements is sure to attract customers in a way that other streaming devices cannot. Its price is at least competitive with other top-end streaming boxes, but well above the lower-cost dongles like the Chromecast and Roku Stick.

It's a super competitive field, so it'll be interesting to see how Fire TV sells over the next few months. It's not just the Roku, Chromecast, and Apple TV that the Fire TV will have to compete with–it's also the gaming consoles like Xbox One and the PS4, as well as the various SmartTVs on the market. Maybe this Gary Busey ad will give it an edge.

]]>Apple Security Flaw Is “As Bad As You Could Imagine”http://www.webpronews.com/apple-security-flaw-is-as-bad-as-you-could-imagine-2014-02/
http://www.webpronews.com/apple-security-flaw-is-as-bad-as-you-could-imagine-2014-02/#commentsSun, 23 Feb 2014 23:40:24 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=323799Apple is performing an emergency software fix this week to correct a security flaw putting both iPhone and Mac users at risk. After it was brought to their attention that hackers could enter systems by email, Apple, Inc. issued an ... Read More

]]>Apple is performing an emergency software fix this week to correct a security flaw putting both iPhone and Mac users at risk.

After it was brought to their attention that hackers could enter systems by email, Apple, Inc. issued an official announcement acknowledging the oversight and their team promptly began to work on updated software to protect users. On Saturday, the company indicated that damage control would be forthcoming to halt hackers before they could lift private data from iPhones or Macs. Per the Orlando Sentinel on Sunday, Feb. 23, iPhone users probably already received their notification regarding that security update. Mac users, contrarily, remain at risk until updates can be issued for them too.

Apple says those fixes are coming “very soon”.

Why did this breach happen? There doesn’t seem to be one concrete explanation. However, researchers have said Apple itself was culpable in that it performed “inadequate testing.” It was likewise described as a "fundamental bug in Apple's SSL implementation," by Dmitri Alperovich, chief technology officer at security firm CrowdStrike Inc.

In addition to iPhones and iPads, the report stated that any kind of desktop device or notebooks that run Mac OS X are also at risk, as the security error is present in them as well. Although iPhones are in the clear, the proverbial bad guys are likely working around the clock to concoct programs that pry into private data of Mac users before their resolution can arrive.

One way in which tech-villains can do this is by gaining entry to a given mobile user’s network.

This could be done in a coffee house or restaurant, where an unsecured wireless service is offered. In this situation, a hacker can observe and alter the interactions of someone using a protected website – be it their email or social networking site. Johns Hopkins University cryptography professor, Matthew Green explained that in the absence of a fix, hackers impersonate these sorts of protected sites. Then they can pilfer private data as they watch financial or other data go between the user and the actual site.

"It's as bad as you could imagine, that's all I can say,” Green stated.

Apple did not acquiesce to comment requests beyond a statement offered this week:

"We are aware of this issue and already have a software fix that will be released very soon."

]]>http://www.webpronews.com/apple-security-flaw-is-as-bad-as-you-could-imagine-2014-02/feed/1Amazon's Set-Top Box May Not Arrive by the Holidayshttp://www.webpronews.com/amazons-set-top-box-may-not-arrive-by-the-holidays-2013-10/
Thu, 24 Oct 2013 14:07:37 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=275175The oft-rumored Amazon set-top box has been delayed once again, according to a report from The Verge: Amazon has been been rushing to finalize and release a set-top box in time for the holidays, designed to compete directly with the ... Read More

]]>The oft-rumored Amazon set-top box has been delayed once again, according to a report from The Verge:

Amazon has been been rushing to finalize and release a set-top box in time for the holidays, designed to compete directly with the Apple TV and Roku. However, The Verge has learned that the company recently made the decision to delay the device, possibly beyond the holiday season

Of course, the ultimate goal of most companys eyeing major products launches is to have their new products available for the big shopping season. This delay would prevent Amazon from competing in the streaming device game this year, which is surely a disappointment for all involved.

Amazon's set-top box reportedly looks something like a Roku, and will stream video and music. The video offerings won't just come from Amazon, as the box will support third-party apps like Netflix. Oh, and there are also reports that Amazon is looking to add gaming to its capabilities. In the end, Amazon wants to complete with the likes of Roku, AppleTV, and even gaming consoles that people are increasingly using as their go-to portals for streaming content.

Around the time of the WSJ's report, a Canadian trademark filing was unearthed and suggested that Amazon was working on something called a "Firetube" - an obvious portmanteau of the Kindle Fire and “tube,” as in the boob tube, as in TV. Whether or not the Amazon set-top box is indeed called the Firetube, it appears that Amazon is having a harder time than they thought they would getting everything in order for a launch.

]]>Amazon's Set-Top Box Reportedly Coming by Christmashttp://www.webpronews.com/amazons-set-top-box-reportedly-coming-by-christmas-2013-10/
Thu, 03 Oct 2013 19:15:11 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=268076The fact that Amazon is developing its own set-top streaming device shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Not only does Amazon have its own content library to promote (Amazon Instant Video), but the company's also been stepping its toes ... Read More

]]>The fact that Amazon is developing its own set-top streaming device shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Not only does Amazon have its own content library to promote (Amazon Instant Video), but the company's also been stepping its toes into the original content production game through Amazon Studios. Plus, much of Amazon's competition already has such a device on the market.

The Wall Street Journal cites sources familiar with the matter who say that Amazon's set-top content delivery device will be here soon, and it'll look something like a Roku.

The sources also indicate that the device will stream content from a variety of providers, not just its own video offerings - which means we'll be getting things like a Netflix app. No word yet on pricing.

Oh, and it's apparently codenamed "Cinnamon."

Speaking of names for said device, 9to5Google unearthed a new Canadian trademark filing that shows Amazon registering the name "Firetube," an obvious portmanteau of the Kindle Fire and "tube," as in the boob tube, as in TV. The generic description refers to a device that is capable of...

]]>The Samsung Apex Is Set to Blow the Competition Out of the Waterhttp://www.webpronews.com/the-samsung-apex-is-set-to-blow-the-competition-out-of-the-water-2013-07/
Wed, 03 Jul 2013 13:14:03 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=239581NSFW In consumer tech nowadays it's all about one-upping the last guy - making a product that can do more, and do it better and faster. The Onion has a pretty great take on the innovation race - a new ... Read More

In consumer tech nowadays it's all about one-upping the last guy - making a product that can do more, and do it better and faster. The Onion has a pretty great take on the innovation race - a new device that will blow everything else out of the water.

That device is the Samsung Apex, a wearable computing device that "streams videos into one eye, the internet into the other, and sucks your dick all at the same time."

"Hang it up Apple - we beat you to the punch on this one. Samsung's got you by the balls!" screams fictional Samsung spokesman Neal Werner.

]]>Roku Hits 5 Million Players Sold, 8 Billion Streamshttp://www.webpronews.com/roku-hits-5-million-players-sold-8-billion-streams-2013-04/
Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:20:54 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=224511Roku has just announced a pretty significant milestone: 5 million players sold. Roku first launched in 2008, and the device was called "the Netflix player," basically because its only function was streaming Netflix. Over time, Roku broke out of the ... Read More

]]>Roku has just announced a pretty significant milestone: 5 million players sold.

Roku first launched in 2008, and the device was called "the Netflix player," basically because its only function was streaming Netflix.

Over time, Roku broke out of the "Netflix box" moniker by adding plenty of other high-profile apps - Hulu Plus in 2010, HBO GO in 2011. Spotify and Time Warner Cable support more recently. As of now, Roku boasts around 750 channels. And with 5 million players sold, it's clear that Roku holds a firm place in a market filled with streaming options. It's about half of what Apple TV has sold (globally), for a competitive reference.

"What are people streaming on Roku? Tons of TV shows and movies. Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, HBO GO and VUDU are all top favorites. Music is extremely popular, and consumers enjoy Pandora, VEVO and Spotify among other choices. News, sports, science and foreign languages from around the world are also big hits. Did I mention games? In 2011, we introduced casual games to the Roku platform with the debut of Angry Birds, which took the leap from mobile to TV for the first time. Angry Birds remains the most popular game on Roku today – by our count more than 3 billion bad piggies have been eliminated!" says Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wood.

Roku says that these 5 million boxes have streamed over 8 billion individual items of content of video and music, and that 25% of all Roku players stream over 35 hours per week.

Roku just launched their new device, the Roku 3 box, last month - and it's been getting some good reviews. Are you a Roku user? What do you think the furutre holds for set-top boxes that pretty much exclusively stream online content to TVs?

]]>Hulu Plus Now Available On More Deviceshttp://www.webpronews.com/hulu-plus-now-available-on-more-devices-2012-03/
Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:03:36 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=125277Starting today, you can access Hulu Plus on three more devices, which brings the total number of devices that offer Hulu's streaming content to just over two dozen. From the Hulu blog: I’m pleased to announce that Hulu Plus is ... Read More

I’m pleased to announce that Hulu Plus is available on select Toshiba 2012 Blu-ray players, Sharp 2012 TVs and Best Buy’s Dynex Blu-ray players. Earlier this year, we also launched Hulu Plus on Netgear’s NeoTV 200 Media Player and branded set-top boxes from Magnavox and Funai.

Along with these new options, as far as TVs/ Blu-Ray players go, you can watch Hulu Plus on select models from Samsung , Vizio, Sony, LG, Haier and Panasonic.

Hulu has been available as an app on the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 for some time now, but just launched on the Nintendo Wii on February 16th. When they made that announcement, Hulu also said that Hulu Plus would be coming to the Nintendo 3DS "some time later in 2012." Hulu's devices page still list the 3DS capabilities as "coming soon."

Hulu looks to have as good of a 2012 as they had last year. In 2011, Hulu grew 60% from 2010, raking in about $420 million in revenue. In January, Hulu announced that Hulu Plus had amassed 1.5 million subscribers, making a point to say that their climb to 1.5 million was faster than other subscription-based video services. In 2011, Hulu Plus' content offerings grew 105%.

In 2012, Hulu will invest $500 million in new content. Couple this with expansion to more devices, they look to chip out their place in a landscape that already has a lot of streaming options - and those are only going to grow.

]]>Newspapers and Magazines Come to Kobo eReader, iPhone and iPad Appshttp://www.webpronews.com/newspapers-and-magazines-come-to-kobo-ereader-iphone-and-ipad-apps-2010-10/
Wed, 27 Oct 2010 19:27:02 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=55955Kobo announced that it is now offering newspapers and magazines for the Kobo Wireless eReader and its iPhone and iPad apps. The selection includes "dozens of top U.S. and Canadian publications". As an added bonus, the company is offering a two-week free trial period.

]]>Kobo announced that it is now offering newspapers and magazines for the Kobo Wireless eReader and its iPhone and iPad apps. The selection includes "dozens of top U.S. and Canadian publications". As an added bonus, the company is offering a two-week free trial period.

Kobo is backed by Indigo Books & Music, Borders, REDgroup Retail, Cheung Kong Holdings, and others. In July, Borders launched its own branded eBook store powered by Kobo. At that time, Border CEO Mike Edwards said, "The race to emerge as a retail leader within the digital category is just starting."

Since then, Samsung has unveiled its Android-powered Galaxy Tab, and Kobo announced that it would be supplying the e-reader technology for it. Kobo has apps for the iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Android, and Palm Pre.

The company says it will continue to expand its offerings in this area. The newspapers' and magazines' formats are emulated on Kobo's offerings. Still, readers can customize text sizes.

"Kobo continues to build on our commitment of making sure that consumers have the best reading experience on any device with the largest selection of content worldwide," said Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis. "We've had tremendous success with eBooks and we’re very excited to expand the Kobo offering to include newspapers and magazines with a two-week free trial, allowing consumers to try first without any obligation. We continue to bring on top publishers to ensure that Kobo’s newspaper and magazine offering meets our customers’ highest expectations."

After the two-week trial, monthly subscription prices start at $13.99 for newspapers and $2.99 for magazines. Kobo also claims to have over 2.2 million eBooks available.

]]>Amazon Selling Kindles Like Hotcakes, Shipping Earlyhttp://www.webpronews.com/amazon-selling-kindles-like-hotcakes-shipping-early-2010-08/
Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:14:30 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=55248Amazon has announced that more new generation Kindles were ordered in the first four weeks of availability than in the same timeframe for any other Kindle launch.

Additionally, in those four weeks, customers ordered more Kindles on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk combined than any other product. That makes Kindle the bestselling product across all products on Amazon for two straight years.

]]>Amazon has announced that more new generation Kindles were ordered in the first four weeks of availability than in the same timeframe for any other Kindle launch.

Additionally, in those four weeks, customers ordered more Kindles on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk combined than any other product. That makes Kindle the bestselling product across all products on Amazon for two straight years.

"Kindle is the best-selling product on Amazon.com for two years running and our new generation Kindles are continuing that momentum," said Steven Kessel, senior vice president, Amazon Kindle. "Readers are excited about all that the new Kindle has to offer—50 percent better contrast, 20 percent faster page turns, 15 percent lighter, up to one month of battery life—and a new price of only $139."

The new Kindle has a new electronic-ink screen and a new design with a 21% smaller body, while keeping the 6 inch screen of the old Kindle. It has built-in Wi-Fi, a graphite color option, and double the storage, holding 3,500 books.

As an added bonus for all of those people that ordered the new Kindles, Amazon also announced that they began shipping today, 2 days earlier than previously announced.

]]>Intel announced that 12 new netbooks based on its new mobile dual-core Atom processors have hit store shelves today. These include machines from Acer, ASUS, Fujitsu, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, MSI, and Toshiba.

"Acer strives to continually improve on our customers' total mobile experience, whether it is increased responsiveness or extended Internet interactivity through longer battery life," said David Lee, associate vice president of Acer's Mobile Computing Business Unit. "We are pleased to select dual-core Intel Atom processors for Acer netbooks, helping to empower netbook users achieve even more – both at work and at leisure."

"In their short history, the netbook category has experienced impressive growth," said Erik Reid, director of marketing for mobile platforms at Intel. "Having shipped about 70 million Intel Atom chips for netbooks since our launch of the category in 2008, there is obviously a great market for these devices around the world."

Intel says the netbooks enable new levels of support for applications like games, as well as Adobe Flash technology for access to a number of Web pages including online hotel booking systems and multimedia sites such as YouTube and Hulu.

The devices will be in stores from today until the end of the year, according to the announcement.

On a related note, Intel has shipped over 70 million Atom netbook chips since its the launch in 2008.

]]>Market Research Firm Says Internet-Connected Devices Will Surpass 5 Billion This Monthhttp://www.webpronews.com/market-research-firm-says-internet-connected-devices-will-surpass-5-billion-this-2010-08/
Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:52:10 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=55118IMS Research has shared some findings indicating that the number of Internet-connected devices is expected to pass the 5 billion milestone this month. Furthermore, the organization forecasts 22 billion by 2020.

]]>IMS Research has shared some findings indicating that the number of Internet-connected devices is expected to pass the 5 billion milestone this month. Furthermore, the organization forecasts 22 billion by 2020.

"In the first connectivity wave, the bulk of devices connected to the Internet were PCs and laptops plus their associated modem and networking equipment," says IMS Research President Ian Weightman. "Today, over 1 billion computers worldwide are regularly connected to the Internet, and this number is growing steadily."

The second wave, as IMS refers to, would be the cellular industry, combined with other emerging sectors like tablets, netbooks, eBook readers, TVs, digital picture frames, cameras, etc. These combine with the first wave to get that 5 billion estimation.

"There will be a number of drivers behind this amazing growth," Weightman says with regards to the 2020 prediction. "Firstly, by 2020 we are forecasting that there will be over 6 billion cell phones in use around the world, the great majority of which will be Internet connected. Then consider that there are around 2.5 billion TVs in use today, and that many of these will be replaced with Internet connected sets, you have another tremendous growth area. In addition, an increasing proportion of the world’s 1.1 billion cars will be replaced by models that have Internet connectivity."

"The potential for greatest growth comes from the third wave which will include machine-to-machine (M2M) deployments. This has the potential to go way beyond industrial applications to encompass increasingly sophisticated smart grids, networked security cameras and sensors, connected home appliances and HVAC equipment, ITS infrastructure, etc."

IMS is a firm that tracks installations of Internet-capable equipment. It supplies market research for the global electronics industry.

]]>IBM Looks Into Accessible Mobile Interfaces, Google Giving up on Wave?http://www.webpronews.com/ibm-looks-into-accessible-mobile-interfaces-2010-08/
Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:26:18 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54967IBM has partnered with the Industrial Design Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay on mobile web research. The initiative will focus on development of new designs of mobile device interfaces that can be used by people who are semiliterate or illiterate, as well as individuals who have limited or no access to information technology.

]]>IBM has partnered with the Industrial Design Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay on mobile web research. The initiative will focus on development of new designs of mobile device interfaces that can be used by people who are semiliterate or illiterate, as well as individuals who have limited or no access to information technology.

We were equally jazzed about Google Wave internally, even though we weren’t quite sure how users would respond to this radically different kind of communication. The use cases we’ve seen show the power of this technology: sharing images and other media in real time; improving spell-checking by understanding not just an individual word, but also the context of each word; and enabling third-party developers to build new tools like consumer gadgets for travel, or robots to check code.

But despite these wins, and numerous loyal fans, Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked. We don’t plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product, but we will maintain the site at least through the end of the year and extend the technology for use in other Google projects. The central parts of the code, as well as the protocols that have driven many of Wave’s innovations, like drag-and-drop and character-by-character live typing, are already available as open source, so customers and partners can continue the innovation we began. In addition, we will work on tools so that users can easily “liberate” their content from Wave.

Nielsen reports that the mobile Internet is more popular in China that it is in the U.S. "Widespread ownership of mobiles is only a fairly recent development in China, but consumers there have fully embraced the technology and in some ways are using it more robustly than their American and European counterparts," says Shan Phillips, Vice President, Greater China, Telecom Practice, The Nielsen Company.

Nielsen also has another interesting report looking at who is buying the iPad, and asking if they will also buy an iPhone.

WordPress has introduced its own "like" buttons. Now readers can "like" posts, although I'd say for publishers, the Facebook "like" buttons will be a lot more effective for driving traffic. Still, it's nice to provide as many gateways for engagement as possible (without getting too cluttered, anyway).

According to the Financial Times, Motorola and Verizon have teamed up on a "TV Tablet." This is a device with a 10-inch screen that users will be able to watch television on.

Reuters reports that Sharp intends to launch a 3D smartphone this year. This would feature a 3D panel that can be viewed without special glasses and would have a 3D capable camera.

According to Unwired Review, Samsung is considering puting touchscreen functionality on the back of a tablet. This is based on a patent application for a "mobile terminal having dual touch screen and method of controlling content therein".

Meanwhile, as Engadget writes, Microsoft has been teasing an as-of-yet unannounced product via Twitter, saying, ""Don't be so touchy...flat is where it's at," and offering a small partial image of some object. This may or may not be a trackpad.

]]>Report: Android on 1 in 3 U.S. Smartphones Soldhttp://www.webpronews.com/report-android-on-1-in-3-us-smartphones-sold-2010-08/
Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:06:57 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54959The NPD Group has released a new smartphone report, finding that Motorola and HTC have driven Android to the lead in the U.S. Android is installed on one in three smartphones sold, according to the group.

Meanwhile, for the first time since 2007, RIM has slid to the number 2 position, as Android took the lead.

While Android accounted for 33% of all smartphones purchased in Q2, RIM accounted for 28%. Apple came in third at 22% with the launch of the iPhone 4.

]]>The NPD Group has released a new smartphone report, finding that Motorola and HTC have driven Android to the lead in the U.S. Android is installed on one in three smartphones sold, according to the group.

Meanwhile, for the first time since 2007, RIM has slid to the number 2 position, as Android took the lead.

While Android accounted for 33% of all smartphones purchased in Q2, RIM accounted for 28%. Apple came in third at 22% with the launch of the iPhone 4.

"For the second consecutive quarter, Android handsets have shown strong but slowing sell-through market share gains among U.S. consumers," said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD. "While the Google-developed OS took market share from RIM, Apple's iOS saw a small gain this quarter on the strength of the iPhone 4 launch."

This week, BlackBerry unleashed its new BlackBerry Torch and BlackBerry 6. It remains to be seen what kind of an impact this will have on the market.

"Blackberry 6 will soon offer features that have been popular in recently launched Android handsets, such as support for capacitive touchscreens and a WebKit-based browser. However, the Blackberry Torch lacks the large screen allure that has characterized the best selling Android devices at its price point, including the Droid Incredible and EVO 4G," Rubin said.

The top 5 Android smartphones sold were:

Motorola Droid

HTC Droid Incredible

HTC EVO 4G

HTC Hero

HTC Droid Eris

Android still has tablets and Google TV to look forward to as far as attracting more users.

]]>RIM, AT&T Introduce BlackBerry Torch and BlackBerry 6http://www.webpronews.com/rim-att-introduce-blackberry-torch-blackberry-6-2010-08/
Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:13:24 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54933Today, Research in Motion (RIM) and AT&T launched the BlackBerry Torch, the first smartphone to feature the new BlackBerry 6, which was also unleashed today.

]]>Today, Research in Motion (RIM) and AT&T launched the BlackBerry Torch, the first smartphone to feature the new BlackBerry 6, which was also unleashed today.

"This is one of the most significant launches in RIM's history and we are proud to introduce the new BlackBerry Torch and BlackBerry 6 together with AT&T," said RIM President and Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis. "With a new user interface, new browser and new handset design, the highly anticipated BlackBerry Torch and BlackBerry 6 deliver integrated and uncompromising capabilities for consumers and business professionals that preserve the industry-leading strengths of the BlackBerry platform while adding exciting new dimensions."

New BlackBerry® Desktop Software 6 with integrated media sync for easily syncing music, photos and videos**. It also includes Wi-Fi Music Sync, a unique feature that allows users to view their entire iTunes® or Windows Media® Player music libraries from their BlackBerry smartphone, create and edit playlists as well as select music for download. When in range of their home Wi-Fi network (or via USB), the changes are synced with iTunes or Windows Media Player and the songs are automatically downloaded to the smartphone

Tri-band HSDPA (3G) and quad-band EDGE support for the option of voice service in more than 220 countries, data service in more than 195 countries and 3G connectivity in more than 125 countries, including Japan and South Korea

Removable, rechargeable 1300 mAhr battery that provides approximately 5.8 hours of talk time on 3G networks or 30 hours of audio playback or 6 hours of video playback

"BlackBerry 6 is the outcome of RIM's ongoing passion to deliver a powerful, simplified and optimized user experience for both touch screen and keyboard fans," said Lazaridis. "Following extensive research and development to address consumer needs and wants, we are delivering a communications, browsing and multimedia experience that we think users will love, and we are thrilled to debut BlackBerry 6 on the amazing new BlackBerry Torch smartphone."

A Nielen report released this week indicates that loyalty is lacking among BlackBerry users, saying that half of BlackBerry users could potentially choose an iPhone or an Android phone for their next device. These things should be taken with a grain of salt, and that was before today's announcements, but it still has to be a little worrisome for RIM.

]]>Amazon's New Kindles Already Sold Outhttp://www.webpronews.com/amazon-introduces-new-smaller-faster-kindle-wi-fi-version-2010-08/
Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:47:56 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54914Update: The new Kindles are already sold out (temporarily obviously). On the product page, the company says, "Due to strong customer demand, Kindle is temporarily sold out. Order now to reserve your place in line. Orders are prioritized on a first come, first served basis.

]]>Update: The new Kindles are already sold out (temporarily obviously). On the product page, the company says, "Due to strong customer demand, Kindle is temporarily sold out. Order now to reserve your place in line. Orders are prioritized on a first come, first served basis. Orders placed today are expected to ship on or before September 4th." (hat tip: GeekSugar)

Original Article: Amazon's Kindle has been making a lot of headlines lately, and now the company has introduced a new generation of Kindle devices. The new Kindle is smaller, lighter, faster, and has 50% better contrast than any other e-reader on the market, according to Amazon.

It has a new electronic-ink screen and a new design with a 21% smaller body, while keeping the 6 inch screen of the old Kindle. It's 15% lighter at 8.7 ounces. Amazon claims it has 20% faster page turns, up to a month of battery life, built-in Wi-Fi, a graphite color option, and double the storage, holding 3,500 books. The price is $189, and still comes with free 3G wireless.

Amazon has also introduced the Kindle Wi-Fi, which doesn't come with 3G, but is only $139.

"Kindle is the best-selling product on Amazon for two years running. We lowered the price to $189 and sales growth tripled," says Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Readers are going to do a double take when they see Kindle's bright new screen and feel how remarkably light the smaller 8.7 ounce design feels in one hand."

The new devices will ship in 140 countries and 30 territories on beginning August 27.

]]>iPhone Users Flock to JailbreakMehttp://www.webpronews.com/iphone-users-flock-to-jailbreakme-2010-08/
Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:55:02 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54898Comex has launched a site called Jailbreakme.com, that when visited from an iOS device, allows you to jailbreak it. This is the first jailbreak for iOS 4, and can be accessed via the mobile version of Safari. The point is to make jailbreaking easier for the average joe, I presume.

]]>Comex has launched a site called Jailbreakme.com, that when visited from an iOS device, allows you to jailbreak it. This is the first jailbreak for iOS 4, and can be accessed via the mobile version of Safari. The point is to make jailbreaking easier for the average joe, I presume.

"A jailbreak is simply the ability to run apps and use themes and tweaks not approved by Apple," explains the site. "Jailbreaking doesn't slow down your device or use any extra battery, and is fully reversible (just restore in iTunes). A jailbreak lets your device be how you want it."

Engadget has posted this video trying to jailbreak the phone, but some issues were encountered:

"Apple's goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience. As we've said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably."

Some have had problems with FaceTime and MMS after jailbreaking, but Redmond Pie offers a solution.

]]>RIM Reportedly to Have iPad Competitor Ready Before Holidayshttp://www.webpronews.com/rim-reportedly-to-have-ipad-competitor-ready-before-holidays-2010-07/
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:23:09 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54890Everybody's scrambling to get their iPad competitors out. Most recently, we heard what Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had to say about his comany's plans. Research in Motion (RIM) will apparently have its iPad competitor out in a few short months.

]]>Everybody's scrambling to get their iPad competitors out. Most recently, we heard what Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had to say about his comany's plans. Research in Motion (RIM) will apparently have its iPad competitor out in a few short months.

Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports the BlackBerry maker intends to have one out in November. Hugo Miller writes:
The device will have roughly the same dimensions as the iPad, which has a 9.7-inch diagonal screen, said the two people who wouldn’t be identified because the plans haven’t been made public. The device will include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology that will allow people to connect to the Internet through their BlackBerry smartphones, the two people said.

Will it be called the BlackPad? As Mobile Crunch pointed out this week, RIM has purchased the BlackPad.com domain.

iPad sales have been impressive, to say the least. However, it has yet to really be faced with competition, and that will soon change. The iPad-like tablet market is going to get flooded with new products and choices for consumers, and there is no doubt that some of them will be much more competitive with pricing. This is one thing that has helped Android grow (which is powering its own iPad competitors).

As the holiday season arrives, it looks like the iPad isn't going to be the only one getting looked at by consumers.

]]>Logitech Launches Contest to Find Help Promoting Google TV Devicehttp://www.webpronews.com/logitech-launches-contest-to-find-someone-to-promote-google-tv-device-2010-07/
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:19:59 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54846Logitech has started a contest to promote Google TV, the upcoming service for which Logitech is a launch partner. The contest is called "Host with the Most", and asks if "you have what it takes to be a 'host with the most' for Logitech Revue with Google TV?"

Logitech Revue is the company's set-top box that will help the Google TV service launch (alongside TVs and Blu-ray players from Sony).

]]>Logitech has started a contest to promote Google TV, the upcoming service for which Logitech is a launch partner. The contest is called "Host with the Most", and asks if "you have what it takes to be a 'host with the most' for Logitech Revue with Google TV?"

Logitech Revue is the company's set-top box that will help the Google TV service launch (alongside TVs and Blu-ray players from Sony).

The contest is looking for a "social media rock star" to help promote the device. Google's YouTube is pretty excited about it (as the device will no doubt bring a great deal more YouTube video watching to living rooms). You can read the official rules here, but YouTube Product Marketing Manager Peter Sherman sums it up nicely:

If you can prove that you are a true social influencer with a passion for the new universe of TV and video that Google TV will offer, Logitech may select you to become a Logitech host and pay you to spend time in one of their lofts in New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco. Your mission will be to host a bunch of parties, show off the technology, and spread the word through your social circles.

Naturally, YouTube is encouraging its users to nominate themselves.

NewTeeVee looks at a new report from iSuppli, which finds that Internet TV is more popular than 3-D TV. That could mean good things for Google and all of its Google TV launch partners.

]]>Android Seeing Massive Growth in the UKhttp://www.webpronews.com/android-seeing-massive-growth-in-the-uk-2010-07/
Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:35:42 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54808It's no secret that Android usage is on the rise, but Guardian points to research from GfK Retail and Technology indicating that in the UK, Android's share of the mobile market has grown from 3% in the first quarter to 13.2% in the second.

On top of that, contract market sales grew by less than 1%, while sales of Android phones increased by 350%, the firm says.

On top of that, contract market sales grew by less than 1%, while sales of Android phones increased by 350%, the firm says.

"The figures suggest an increasing number of consumers are now asking for Android handsets by name," says GfK analyst Megan Baldock. "Operating Systems are no longer simply a by-product but a key selling point in their own right."

Smartphones, or phones with "advanced operating systems" as GfK puts it, grew to 66.7% of contracts compared to 55% in the first quarter. "Growth has been continuous since 2010 began and is expected to rise consistently throughout the rest of the year; GfK's latest monthly data shows that in June, phones with advanced OS represented 73.5% of the contract market," the firm adds.

]]>Free Case Not Enough? Samsung Gives Some Disgruntled iPhone Users Free Android Phoneshttp://www.webpronews.com/free-case-not-enough-samsung-gives-some-disgruntled-iphone-users-free-android-pho-2010-07/
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:49:32 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54790You may have heard that a few people have been dissatisfied with their recent iPhone 4 purchases. Apple has gone out of its way to make it up to them (whether or not they've done enough is debatable), but that hasn't stopped people from complaining.

]]>You may have heard that a few people have been dissatisfied with their recent iPhone 4 purchases. Apple has gone out of its way to make it up to them (whether or not they've done enough is debatable), but that hasn't stopped people from complaining.

Some of those people got lucky when they complained publicly on Twitter, because someone was listening. It wasn't Apple, but Samsung, who decided to try and convert some of its competitor's users to Samsung users. Samsung has been giving away its Galaxy S phones to some of the complainers, as first reported by Wired UK.

"Recently there has been a real increase in online activity from consumers dissatisfied with some of our competitors’ products," Samsung told Wired. "We decided to contact a cross section of individuals to offer them a free Samsung Galaxy S as a replacement, as we’re confident that once people have the phone in their hands, they’ll see how impressive it is for themselves."

While Samsung's efforts may convert a few iPhone users to Galaxy S users, it might also effectively convert them to Android users, as the phone runs Android 2.1. That could be more long-term.

You have to admit a free phone is a little more enticing than a free case.

]]>Apple Begins Case Program, Delays White iPhonehttp://www.webpronews.com/apple-begins-case-program-delays-white-iphone-2010-07/
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:20:42 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54781As you are probably aware, Apple announced last week that iPhone 4 buyers would be entitled to a free case (or bumper) to correct the highly-publicized receptions issues with the device. Those who already purchased a case/bumper would be entitled to a refund.

]]>As you are probably aware, Apple announced last week that iPhone 4 buyers would be entitled to a free case (or bumper) to correct the highly-publicized receptions issues with the device. Those who already purchased a case/bumper would be entitled to a refund.

The company has now begun the process of making good on that promise. MacRumors points to an Apple Store message saying, "As of today, we have automatically processed your refund. You have also been refunded for any Shipping or VAT charges which may have been applied to your order. If you paid via credit card, please allow 3-5 business days for the refund to reach your account."

In addition, Apple has released a downloadable iPhone app that lets users sign up for a free bumper or case. More info on this can be found here.

Meanwhile, some consumers are still waiting for a white version of the iPhone 4. Apple released the following statement today about it: "White models of Apple's new iPhone 4 have continued to be more challenging to manufacture than we originally expected, and as a result they will not be available until later this year. The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected."

On a somewhat related note, TheNextWeb points to a newspaper ad taken out by Samsung, which appears to include a subtle jab at the iPhone's antenna issues.

]]>Baidu to Compete with Google in the Mobile OS Space Too?http://www.webpronews.com/baidu-to-compete-with-google-in-the-mobile-os-space-too-2010-07/
Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:34:41 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54704InformationWeek is reporting that Baidu may be looking at developing a mobile operating system, citing Chinese media reports. The project would be led by former Google employees. Meanwhile, TechCrunch says Android is poised to dominate in China.

]]>InformationWeek is reporting that Baidu may be looking at developing a mobile operating system, citing Chinese media reports. The project would be led by former Google employees. Meanwhile, TechCrunch says Android is poised to dominate in China.

Apple announced today that the iPad will be available in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore starting Friday. Currently, the iPad is available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US. The company says it will be available in many more countries later this year.

According to Fortune, Apple is closing in on Microsoft in revenue. "Though Apple still has a ways to go to compete with Microsoft in terms of net income due to Microsoft's untouchable operating margin, many will be surprised to discover that Apple's revenues are close to surpassing Microsoft's," writes Andy M. Zaky. "If it doesn't happen this week, it will almost certainly come in the next quarterly announcement." Apple's earnings announcement is tomorrow, and Microsoft's is Thursday.

Speaking of Apple's announcement, it's possible that the company could announce its "Magic Trackpad" (which may or may not go by that name). This is a bluetooth device for the desktop, that has just gained FCC approval, as Engadget points out. Engadget also has a very in-depth preview of Windows Phone 7 worth checking out.

]]>Apple Releasing iPad to 9 More Countries on Fridayhttp://www.webpronews.com/apple-releasing-ipad-to-9-more-countries-on-friday-2010-07/
Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:40:09 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54693Apple announced today that the iPad will be available in nine new countries this Friday. These include: Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore.

All models of the iPad will be available through Apple retail stores and through authorized resellers. Currently, the iPad is available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US.

]]>Apple announced today that the iPad will be available in nine new countries this Friday. These include: Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore.

All models of the iPad will be available through Apple retail stores and through authorized resellers. Currently, the iPad is available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US.

Apple says the iPad will roll out to many more countries later this year, and the company will announce availability and local pricing for these additional countries at a later date.

About a month ago, Apple announced that it had sold 3 million iPads in 80 days (since launch). "People are loving iPad as it becomes a part of their daily lives," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

]]>Amazon Releases New KindleDX with Lower Price, Better Contrasthttp://www.webpronews.com/amazon-releases-new-kindledx-with-lower-price-better-contrast-2010-07/
Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:10:51 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54519Amazon has introduced a new version of the Kindle DX with a lower price of $379 (down from $489) and 50% better display contrast.

]]>Amazon has introduced a new version of the Kindle DX with a lower price of $379 (down from $489) and 50% better display contrast.

"There's no turning back once you read on our beautiful new Kindle DX screen," said Steve Kessel, senior vice president, Amazon Kindle. "With 50 percent better contrast and darker fonts, you'll find it easier than ever to read wherever you happen to be, whether it's outside in bright sunlight or under the low light of your living room. We're excited to offer the new Kindle DX with free 3G wireless at the lower price of $379."

The device has a 9.7-inch screen and a new graphite enclosure. It's available for pre-order starting today. It will ship on July 7th.

]]>Google's AdMob Reflects on 2 Years of Mobile Evolutionhttp://www.webpronews.com/google-2010-06/
Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:32:06 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=54503AdMob released its Mobile Metrics report for May, which focuses on changes in the mobile market over the course of two years. Unsurprisingly, a lot has changed. While AdMob's network traffic itself has grown a lot in that time, the company says there continues to be strong regional differences with devices used to access the mobile web.

]]>AdMob released its Mobile Metrics report for May, which focuses on changes in the mobile market over the course of two years. Unsurprisingly, a lot has changed. While AdMob's network traffic itself has grown a lot in that time, the company says there continues to be strong regional differences with devices used to access the mobile web.

"Smartphones have also grown rapidly, in May 2008 they generated 22 percent of ad requests and in May 2010 smartphones accounted for 46 percent of ad requests," the company reports. "In May 2008, the iPhone and iPod touch generated 1.3 percent of worldwide requests and the first Android handset was still six months from launching. Two years later, the two platforms accounted for 42 percent of all ad requests worldwide, driven by strong application usage."

Other highlights picked out by the company include:

- 92 countries generated more than 10 million monthly requests, up from 27 in May 2008.

- Traffic from North America, Asia, Western Europe, Latin America and Oceania all increased by a factor of at least 6x from May 2008 to May 2010.

- Smartphones accounted for 46 percent of traffic, feature phones for 42 percent of traffic and Mobile Internet Devices for 12 percent of traffic in May 2010.

- Motorola feature phones were the top three devices in AdMob’s network in May 2008, but in May 2010 the only Motorola device in the top ten was the Droid.

- The Nokia N70 was the number one smartphone in AdMob’s network in May 2008. It dropped to number two in May 2009 and down to number four in May 2010, but continues to be the top smartphone from Nokia in AdMob’s network.

- The Top 5 iPad countries in AdMob’s network, based on the number of unique devices, were the United States (58 percent), Japan (5 percent), United Kingdom (4 percent), China (4 percent), and Canada (3 percent).

- A year ago, the HTC Dream (G1) was the only Android device broadly available. In May 2010, the leading handset, the Motorola Droid, had only 21 percent of the Android users in the AdMob network demonstrating the broad range of Android devices available.

Remember that all of the findings mentioned are based solely on data from AdMob's own network, which is quite large, but not all encompassing. Much of the data, however, pre-dates AdMob's acquisition by Google.

]]>A job listing for an "Android Video Playback Expert" under Partner Product Development has been spotted on the Netflix job listing page (via BGR > Nerdcast).

Under the description of the position, Netflix says it's looking for "a great engineer to help us build Instant Streaming client implementations on Android devices."

There you have it. Watching Netflix's streaming offerings from your Android devices may soon become a reality. In fact, this seems to indicate that it's inevitable, and only a question of when. I don't imagine Netflix will have any shortage of applicants for the position.

This should only further Netflix's advantages over the newly announced Hulu Plus, which offers some of the same content, but certainly not as much as Netflix, and without the whole mailing of DVDs thing. It does have ads though, and costs more.

Also, consider that Google TV will be integrated with Android. This could theoretically turn any Google TV-ready device into a Netflix-ready device.

In other movie-meets-Android news, IMDB launched a new Android app today. More on that here.

The company notes that the new Nook 3G price marks the first under $200 dedicated full-feature eBook reader that offers both free 3G wireless and Wi-Fi connectivity. It also now has a new software update that is supposed to make it easier to connect in more places via Wi-Fi.

]]>Barnes and Noble today introduced its Nook Wi-Fi device priced at $149. In addition, the 3G version of the Nook has been lowered to $199.

The company notes that the new Nook 3G price marks the first under $200 dedicated full-feature eBook reader that offers both free 3G wireless and Wi-Fi connectivity. It also now has a new software update that is supposed to make it easier to connect in more places via Wi-Fi.

- Enriched eReading: Enjoy an immersive reading experience with color book covers to browse in your library or while shopping, fast page turns, multiple font choices and sizes and more.

- Dual displays: A fun, easy-to-use reading experience on the familiar paper-like 6” E-Ink display which offers great contrast with no backlight or glare even in bright sunlight, and 3.5” LCD lower color touchscreen for navigation.

- Vast catalog of content: Shop the Barnes & Noble eBookstore for everything from classics to current bestsellers and download your content wirelessly in seconds. There are more than one million eBooks, magazines and newspapers available and free eBook samples.

- Lend to friends: Share a wide range of eBooks with friends for 14 days using exclusive LendMe technology.

- In-store experience: Access fast and free Wi-Fi connectivity in Barnes & Noble stores and enjoy the beta Read In Store feature to browse many complete eBooks for free, and the More In Store program, which offers free, exclusive content and special promotions.

- Games, music and Web: Play Chess or Sudoku, listen to your favorite songs or browse the Web to check news and email.

- Light and portable library: About the size and weight of a paperback, the 2GB device carries approximately 1,500 eBooks and offers virtually endless shelf space with expandable memory.

- Read for days: Long battery life means you won’t need to worry about recharging. With Wi-Fi turned off, enjoy reading for up to 10 days on a single battery charge.

- Personalize with style: Customize NOOK Wi-Fi with one of the many stylish designer accessories available for all NOOK devices. Customers can choose from a range of classic and colorful accessories designed exclusively for NOOK devices by renowned designers kate spade new york, Jack Spade, Jonathan Adler, Tahari and others.

Nook users can use a USB cable to connect their device to a PC or Mac to transfer their personal files in ePub, PDF and PDB formats to their Nook.

]]>iPad Impresses More as a Symbol Than a Devicehttp://www.webpronews.com/ipad-impresses-more-as-a-symbol-than-a-device-2010-04/
Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:58:45 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=53568Right now, it's looking like the iPad's strength is more about what it represents to the industry, more than the device itself. It's about what mainstream computing may be turning into.

This generation iPad isn't the be-all, end-all computing device. It's full of shortcomings, which have been widely acknowledged. While plenty of early adopters are sure to continue buying the iPads up, there will no doubt be vast improvements made in future versions of the device. Apple will give users reasons to buy the next-generation iPads.

Then you have the competitors. You know how the iPhone came out and everybody went crazy over it? Then Android came along with a similar touchscreen operating system and marketplace, and now Android use is growing rapidly. Microsoft will be launching its Windows Phone 7 Series this year, which will compete in that market. Consumers will have plenty of options when it comes to iPad-like devices. There is already plenty of competition on the way.

iEntry CEO and WebProNews Publisher Rich Ord shares a first-hand look at his new iPad, as well as his take on what the device means in the following clip:

He talks about how the iPad sets the stage for a change in how people interact with the web, specifically. "It's really a convenience revolution for the Internet," he says, adding that people will bring the Internet to business more - it's easier to carry than a laptop, and people will feel more comfortable taking an iPad (or iPad-like device) to a meeting, a restaurant, a construction site, etc.

Still, there are cons to the convenience factor as well. The screen gets dirty easily, and one may not find it all that convenient to carry wipes around all the time. In addition, it could be lighter in weight, but then again, future-generations are sure to improve upon this first edition product.

"What we're going to see is the younger generation beginning to use touchscreen computers ahead of enterprises," said Leslie Fiering, research vice president at Gartner. "By 2015, we expect more than 50 percent of PCs purchased for users under the age of 15 will have touchscreens, up from fewer than percent in 2009. On the other hand, we are predicting that fewer than 10 percent of PCs sold to enterprises in 2015 for mainstream knowledge workers will have touchscreens."

]]>Use Your BlackBerry to Give Presentationshttp://www.webpronews.com/use-your-blackberry-to-give-presentations-2010-01/
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:42:53 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=52622At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas, Research in Motion (RIM) unveiled a new device called the BlackBerry Presenter, which is a way for users to wirelessly present Microsoft PowerPoint, PDF, and other image files right from their BlackBerry smartphone. Pretty cool.

]]>At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas, Research in Motion (RIM) unveiled a new device called the BlackBerry Presenter, which is a way for users to wirelessly present Microsoft PowerPoint, PDF, and other image files right from their BlackBerry smartphone. Pretty cool.

"BlackBerry Presenter helps simplify the presentation experience by allowing professionals to lighten their travel load and leave their laptops back at the office," says RIM's Douglas Soltys.

The device includes a loop mode, which lets you set the time between slides and leave it running as you deliver a presentation. It also has a Freeze mode, which will freeze a slide on-screen while you browse through the rest of your presentation on your smartphone. It supports PowerPoint effects, Bluetooth connection, and is compatible with multiple online video formats.
Here's what it looks like:

RIM lists the following as system requirements for the device:

1. Video output device and a VGA cable or an S-Video cable.

2. BlackBerry Presenter is not supported by the BlackBerry Curve 8300 Series and/or BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8200 Series smartphones.

3. Upgrading BlackBerry Presenter firmware requires (a) an Intel compatible computer with an available USB port that is compliant with USB 1.1 or higher and that is running the Microsoft Windows XP or later operating system and (b) BlackBerry Device Software v4.6 or later.